Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-07-10
The Face Prejudice.

At n mass-meeting Of the colored
poople on Tuesday night in one OF
their churches up town to protest
against the treatment OF their race at
Asbury Park the Rev. Mr.. Monroe de-
clared very truly that the southern
people were honester than the north
erpers in their relations with the ne
eroes. They drew the color line
squarely and made no pretenee o!
doing otherwise, while here race-hatred
was CLOSED over with sham religious
sentiment and hypocritical philan-
tbropy."
Mr.. Bradley, the founder and con-
troller of Asbury Park. says very
frankly that be objects to the colored
people simply on business grounds
~ was compelled, in self-defence, to
express my mind" he explains; 8 for
if the colored folks continued to flock
here it would ruin the place, for white
people would not come to the para.
He does not himself care to draw the
color line, but public sentiment insists
on drawing it for HIM. White people
refuse to 60 where they will be brought
in contact with large numbers OF ne
groes, whether it is church, a theatre,
or a wateringplace.
That is the fact, and enfranchisement
and the civil-rights bill have in no re-
spect altered it. Hotel-keepers would
not object to entertaining colored peo-
pie if it was profitable for them to do
so, but they know that they might al
most as well admit a smallpox patient
rs a negro. Ninety-nine white people
ont Of hundred, and at the North,
too. would be indignant il they were
put next him at table, and leave the
house, never again to set foot Ill 1t. so
il is at theatres. The colored
people must be cooped mp by
themselves in a distant gallery, and
if they were so numerous here rs
TO crowd the public convcyauces the
white race would rise up III rebellion
against the carrying OF them. DO we
secneprocs occupying conspicuous seats
in fashionable churches. and, Il they
did occupy them, what voIld be the
effect Oh theprcsperity OF the churches
Hey may come II small numbers. bat
thew must sit in the back pcws Orin the
Galleries. Scatter colorrd children
freely among the classes Of Il Sunday
sci ool, and how long would the white
children remain? What ToIld be the
result if q co!ored couple, no matter
how distinFuishedinapp should
venture into the Charity Ball, for in
stance?
q lie colored people must live by
themselves in houses and parts Of the
town inhabited by themselves cspe-
cially. They cannot get into the ordi-
nav tenoment-house inhabited even
10y very poor families. The sight OF a
colored man with white woman on
tie streets or Of colorcd woman with
a white man is 50 extraordinary that it
proyokes great curiosity; and when
there are marriages between white and
colored the pairs are tabooed by whites
and looked upon with something akin
to disgust.
That is the state of things long years
after emancipation and enfranchise-
mont, and there does not seem to be
any lessoning OF the race prejudice at
the North. Apparently it as strong
now as il ever was, and the tendency
Of the negroes to keep by themselves
is stronger than formerly, 50 that the
African type becomes more decided.
The Asbury-Park incident, therefore,
only gave expression to q general sent
ment; and the protzs, ot tuesday
nights meeting should rather have
been against that than against III.
Bradley.
Neither political equality nor religion
itself has been able to conquer THIS race
prejudice, and lapse of time does no;
seem to even mitigate Ii.